MX-5 OC Forum

Hi

Firstly i'm sure you're all bored to tears by these type of threads so i'll apologise in advance.  

I've just passed my driving test (age 29, it's a bit late i know) and decided i want an MX5 as my first car and i can only get insured on the 1.6, i've also got around £3500 to spend on one.  I've kind of got my heart set on a mk2.5 Phoenix (i know i probably shouldn't be so specific in the model i'm after but i do love brown leather seats) and i have a few questions regarding buying a secondhand mk2.5 if that's okay?

After scouring this forum top to bottom i've read that the sills rusting is a major problem.  I've seen a few photos of sills being repaired on here but what exactly am i looking for and where should i be looking exactly?  Any pictures to help?

Clutch judder. I've read this is quite problematic in mk2/2.5's.  What's the best way to check for this and is it an expensive fix?

Are there any engine issues i should aware of?

What else should i be looking for when i go and view a mk2.5?  

I've probably forgotten a few things

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give me. 

 Hi,

Congratulations on passing your test - an MX-5 is quite an adventurous first car - what will you follow it with!!

I've got a 2001 mk2.5 which I've had since new. It has done 108000 miles so far and I still think of it as my new car!!

It had/has the clutch judder issue - the clutch plate was replaced at 13000 miles which did not solve the problem but the dealer was disinterested after that. I put off doing the job at my own expense and have never actually got around to it. I have heard that changing to any suitable after-market clutch will solve the problem, but I have found that over time the problem has decreased and does not bother me any more. If you are road-testing an affected car, you will notice it if you are pulling away in either first (possibly second) or reverse - it will be quite noticeable.

As regards sill rust, I noticed unevenness in the rear sills after about 5 years which gradually increased but I didn't realise I had a problem for a long while. I noticed discolouration at the end of last year and after the winter a hole had appeared - got both sides done by MX5Restorer for £500. You will notice elsewhere on the forum that the rust forms from the inside out due to a design issue where leaves of metal come together forming a trap for damp, dirt and salt which cannot easily be removed / drained properly. There seem to be a lot of repairers that do an insubstantial job which lasts a couple of years. Not sure yet how long a good job lasts!!

Other issues I have had, all within the last year, include replacement of hood and ancillary parts, cam-angle sensor, exhaust back box and water pump, so overall it has been a very cheap car to maintain, but last year and this have been a lot more expensive.

Basically, if you are buying an MX-5 of this age and mileage you want to have a good idea of it's status regarding rust and the above will give you an idea of things that you need to consider in the budget. Also make sure that servicing and cambelt changes have been done. 

I think you will find that most people on this forum would say that a better choice would be a Mk1 rather than a 2.5 as the bodywork is so much better and there is less gadgetry. I had a Mk1 before this car and I preferred it for it's driving characteristics. When I eventually have to give up on my 2.5 I will probably go back to a MK1 rather than move forwards to a Mk3.

Hope this helps and best of luck,

Thanks! Ha well i thought i can either buy a fun enjoyable car like an mx5 or be boring and pick up a normal hatchback.  I thought i'd live on the wild side  ;)

As for the sills, would it require me getting under the car when i go to view one or will seeing the outer paint work let me know of any problems?  (I wish i knew someone well versed in mx5's to take with me but sadly i don't) 

Cheers for the clutch judder information, hopefully i'll be able to detect it even with my relatively poor driving.

As for mk1's i do love them and did get the feeling they might get recommended on here over 2.5's.  I just want something a touch more civilised and newer as it's going to be my only car and my daily driver.  Although pop up headlights are the coolest thing ever.

Oh i have one other question.  I'll be wanting a hardtop for it as i live in a bit of a bad area.  Are the hardtops of mk1,2 and 2.5's interchangable at all?

Thanks again for all your help it's really appreciated.

I don't believe you can interchange the hardtops between Mk1 and Mk2.5. As the 2.5 was just a facelift, it is probable that they are interchangeable between Mk2 and Mk2.5 - perhaps someone else can confirm.

The sills problem is not particularly noticeable when looking at the car from a standing position. The area of concern is the rear of the sill just forward of the rear wheel and it is the underside of the sill which is affected first - note that because of the position of the rust and the position of the seat belt anchorages it is an MOT item. Mazda's original paintwork is a textured finish, so when they first start going it is not particularly apparent from feel alone, so you need to either raise the car or get your head down to look up at the bottom of the sill. When they first start going you can get blisters of paint which when pressed will cause a trickle of water - once they have reached this stage they will hole quickly (mine went in weeks). Unless they have been treated with something like Dinitrol, all of the 2.5s are affected so you may be advised to select one that has already had a repair done by a knowledgeable welder as, even if it shows no sign of rust, it will soon. What you want to avoid is one that has just been plated over the top, all the bad stuff needs to have been cut out. Alternatively, just budget for having the job done yourself - you will then know how well it has been done.

Once you get a good one, believe me, you will enjoy it.  

Thanks, the sill information is really good.  

I must admit the sills issue is the only thing making me a little bit wary of getting an mx5 but i spose all cars have their own unique problems. 

I'm not in a huge rush to buy one really so i suppose it's just a case of spending a good few months hunting for the right one.

 Hi,

I believe the hardtop is the same for the Mk1, Mk2 and Mk2.5 but I'm sure someone will confirm that.

Clutch judder issues should now have all been sorted, my Arizona had them but that was because the previous owner hadn't had the clutch changed under warranty.

Rusting sills are a problem but are a known problem and there are enough people who can repair them. Just keep looking and I'm sure the right one will turn up. Like you said yourself I wouldn't restrict myself to one particular Special Edition. I would look at them all, Montana, Indiana and Arizona are all good spec models. The dark metallic red with cream leather is a gorgeous colour combination (Montana I think).

Colin  

Didn't realize the Montana / Indiana were only 1.8. I think the Phoenix is a bit Marmite, You either love it or hate it. The Brown leather to me looks strange with the (mostly) grey metallic as there is still a lot of black in the cockpit. It should be all brown then it would be okay. 

Colin  

I dont think any one mentioned this yet, but when you're looking at the sills you want to be down on your hands and knees just infront of where the rear wheels are, where the metal curves down and under the car is where you need to put your eyes. sometimes it shows up as bubbling, sometimes, like on mine, there's a hole the size of a 50p piece. cost me £150 a side to have the old metal cut off and new stuff scavenged off an old car and then paint-matched.

Re: clutch judder, to test for that you want to be pulling away at all revs, so 1500 and bring the clutch in, again at just below 2k and again just below 2.5 - maybe 2.3-2.4k. by the time you get to 2500rpm there's enough slip to shine up the clutch face before it engages . Mine's still running the factory clutch on 90k with lots of motorway miles in europe by the previous driver and those are the rev ranges where it judders most, like when you're maneuvering in a car park or reversing up a sloping drive. Creeping forward just using the idle throttle regulator (without using the throttle pedal i mean) doesn't seem to judder as much, mostly when there's a little output from the engine at the suggested speeds. You may find that as i did if you get a car with clutch judder you'll change your driving style to suit it and just use a bit more engine speed to shine up that clutch when you pull away. 

I have a titanium grey (not to be confused with the darker galaxy grey on the mk3, mine just looks like a dirty silver >_<) phoenix and i applaud your decision, they're beautiful cars inside, only when you let the paintwork get dirty, it looks a bit manky and rubbish, but that's just motivation to give it a good wash and wax and make it shiny again.

Hi

Have a look at this site, use the link below it shows the car your after but also every other mk and edition.

http://www.mx5-3rdgenerationlimited.com/phoenix.htm

As to the sill rusting this is mainly due to the sills being blocked up and the drainage holes full of gunk, theres 4 either side the sill lip 2 either end.

The wing to door gap follow that down to the sill and you should find the first 2, then look for a seam towards the rear on the sill the other 2 are there its a hands and knees job to see these.

A metal coat hanger required opened up about 6 inches to poke these and then 2 inside the car behind the hood. If buying the car ask them about the drainage holes if they look at you strangly then walk away!!!!!!!

The other rust area is the front chassis legs these could be quiet bad, i never saw this issue with the mk1.

I originally went looking for a 2004 euphonic model but found most of these to be alot worse in rot than the earilier cars 2002ish so i got a 2003 sport.

Dont forget the cambelt at about 60.000 check to see if its been done water pump too.

All you have to do is ask on here.

Cheers Ian

 Hi,
 
When I had my sills repaired by MX5Restorer, Garath pointed out to me that I will need my front chassis legs looked at in the near future. He told me that they are MOTable because they form part of an accident crumple zone, introduced at the Mk2.5 (2001). I believe their condition is not quite so relevant on earlier models and don't otherwise compromise the structure of the car. 
 
I don't think the drainage holes behind the hood are as relevant as some people think. Mine have never been blocked, but I had sill rust and it's cause was effectively explained by Garath - the affected area simply has no drainage - it's a design feature and the only solution is to go back in time to when the car was new and fill the area with something like Dinitrol - I regret that I didn't but I like this car and at eleven years old, I want it to last a lot longer!!.
 
Cheers, Tony

Cheers for all the information.

I've looked through all the special editions and the Phoenix is certainly my favourite but if another edition comes along in the right condition i won't turn it down.

I hadn't read anything about the front chassis legs but i'll definitely bare it in mind when i go and view a few cars over the next few weeks.  Found a mechnic who has repaired sills on a mk1 mx5 before so hopefully i'll be taking him along to check it out for me, i'll certainly let him know about the chassis legs as well.  

I think i've come to the conclusion that no matter what i'll have to get the sills done at some point so i'm going to make sure i incorporate it into my budget.

Thanks again for all the help :)

 my advice...buy a mk1.

 Hi

The hardtop wil fit Mk1 Mk2 MK2.5

Im using the hardtop off my now sold MK1 SE on my MK2.5 1.8 SVT

both brill motors each with their own characteristics

but at my age I prefer the more civilised 2.5

I think everybody should sample a MK1 just for the sheer hell of it

Don't get me wrong i do love mk1's just i'd prefer something a bit newer and more civilised as my daily car.  I do plan on buying a mk1 at some point in the future as a track day fun car.  

Cheers for the hardtop info as well.  Means i have a good choice of hardtops to look at.